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Joanne Clifton
Joanne Kirsty Clifton '(born October 24, 1983) is a British professional dancer, presenter, actress and singer, best known for being a professional dancer on the BBC One dance series Strictly Come Dancing. Early Life She was born in Waltham, Lincolnshire. Clifton started dancing ballroom and Latin as a child in her home village of Waltham, taught by her parents, former World number ones Keith and Judy Clifton. She attended East Ravendale Primary School and Caistor Grammar School. She competed nationally and internationally as a child, initially partnering her brother Kevin. Later, she chose to specialise in Ballroom so as not to directly complete against her brother. Career She has competed in both Ballroom and Latin since the age of 4 and has been a British Champion five times, Italian Champion three times, Professional Ballroom Eruropean Champion in 2012 and Professional World DanceSport Games Champion in 2013. In 2000, Clifton moved to Bologna, Italy, to train with Team Diablo, the biggest dance school in Europe. She was initially partnered with Marco Cavallaro, reaching sixth in the world in amateur rankings with him. She moved to professional competition when she was chosen to partner Paolo Bosco in 2011. In 2013, they were amongst ten other professional dancing couples to be invited to perform at the Kremlin. She and her partner became champions of the World DanceSport Games in Taiwan in 2013 and won the World Professional Ballroom Showdance Championships in Merano, Italy, later that year. Clifton danced with Bosco competitively until his retirement on December 15, 2013. She retired from competition dancing on December 19, 2013. From April to May 2014, she joined her brother as a dancer in the Burn the Floor Dance Company, performing in the show's tour of Australia and Japan. In 2015, Clifton appeared in her first musical production, Face the Music at Ye Olde Rose and Crown Theatre, playing Street Walker for which she received an Offie nomination for her role. In 2016, she appeared in Norma Jean The Musical, playing the title character, Marilyn Monroe. In early 2017, Joanne appeared as the lead role of Millie Dillmount, in the UK Tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. It has also been revealed that Joanne is soon to play the lead role of Alex Owens in the UK Tour of Flashdance the Musical. Strictly Come Dancing In 2014, Clifton was confirmed as a professional dancer on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with DJ Scott Mills. They made it through to Week 6 but were eliminated in the Halloween show. On November 6, 2014, Clifton appeared on BBC Radio 1's Innuendo Bingo. Clifton remained part of the professional line-up for the following series but was not given a partner for the main show. She did, however, compete in the Children in Need special with actor Stephen McGann and went on to win the Christmas special with Series 9 winner Harry Judd. Clifton returned full time to the main show for the fourteenth series and was paired with TV presenter Ore Oduba. On Decemebr 17, they were crowned the winners giving her, her first win of the main series. It was announced on June 21 that Joanne was to leave Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer after 3 years, due to wanting to progress in her musical theatre career. 'Partners *Scott Mills (Series 12) - 11th Place *Ore Oduba (Series 14) - 1st Place 'Couples' *Scott Mills and Joanne Clifton *Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton Category:Professional Dancers Category:Female Professional Dancers Category:Professional Winners Category:Series 12 Category:Series 14